30 casual dining worth the trip across Ireland, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Ireland guides.
Miyazaki Japanese Takeaway ★ 4.7 · Cork
Barrack Street and The Lough · 1A Evergreen Street, Cork
Takashi Miyazaki's cash-only takeaway on Evergreen Street, running a tight Tuesday to Sunday lunchtime and evening service. The kitchen is tiny, the queue.
Tip: Cash only; no cards accepted. Open 13:00-15:30 and 17:00-21:00; closed Monday.
Farmgate Cafe ★ 4.5 · Cork
English Market Quarter · English Market, Princes Street, Cork
Perched above the English Market on its own gallery, with produce bought from the stalls below each morning. Tripe, drisheen and soda bread are the anchors.
Tip: Arrive before noon or after 13:30 to get a table; the gallery fills quickly at peak lunch.
The Fumbally ★ 4.5 · Dublin
the-liberties · Fumbally Lane, Dublin 8, D08 HFF2
The Fumbally on Fumbally Lane in Dublin 8, Aisling Rogerson and Luca D'Alfonso's open-plan day cafe and fermentation lab, the Liberties' working kitchen.
Tip: Communal seating; arrive before 12:30 to get the long table to your group. No reservations except Friday Dinner.
The Seafood Cafe by Niall Sabongi ★ 4.5 · Dublin
temple-bar · 11 Sprangers Yard, Fownes Street Upper, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
The Seafood Cafe by Niall Sabongi at Sprangers Yard off Fownes Street in Temple Bar, the open-kitchen seafood bar from the team behind the original Klaw.
Tip: Oyster happy hour daily 16:00-17:00 with around €1 off each shuck. Counter seating; the chefs work the bar in front of you.
Dash Burger ★ 4.5 · Dublin
the-liberties · 6 Kevin Street Lower, Dublin 8, D08 A440
Dash Burger on Kevin Street Lower in Dublin 8, Barry Wallace's 2020 smash-burger room that landed at the top of every Dublin best-burger list.
Tip: Walk-ins only at both rooms, kitchen from 12:00-21:00 daily. The Kevin Street room is small and turns fast at lunch.
Oscar's Seafood Bistro ★ 4.5 · Galway
westend · 22-23 Upper Dominick Street, Galway, H91 P6T8
Oscar's Seafood Bistro in Galway champions under-used Atlantic species; chef Michael O'Meara sources sustainably from local West of Ireland trawlers.
Tip: Reservations are confirmed directly; booking a few days ahead for Friday or Saturday is advisable.
Arán Artisan Bakery and Bistro ★ 4.5 · Kilkenny
barrack-street · 8 Barrack Street, Kilkenny, R95 YF30
Arán on Barrack Street is the most-awarded brunch address in Kilkenny, winner of Ireland's Best Brunch at the Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast Awards.
Tip: Closed Tuesday. Last brunch orders at 15:15. Private evening dining available with advance booking for groups.
Arán Artisan Bakery and Bistro ★ 4.5 · Kilkenny
barrack-street · 8 Barrack Street, Kilkenny, R95 YF30
Arán on Barrack Street serves award-winning brunch and lunch plates built on stone-baked sourdough, voted Ireland's Best Brunch at Georgina Campbell awards.
Tip: Closed Tuesday. Last food orders at 15:15. Natural wines available alongside coffee. Dogs welcome in the garden.
Ichigo Ichie Bistro ★ 4.4 · Cork
City Centre · 5 Sheares Street, Cork, T12 RY7Y
Takashi Miyazaki's relaxed second act: handmade buckwheat noodles, rice bowls and small sharing plates with a focused natural wine list, Wednesday through.
Tip: Bookings open on a short lead; Wednesday evenings are the least contested.
The Old Spot ★ 4.4 · Dublin
ranelagh-ballsbridge · 14 Bath Avenue, Dublin 4, D04 Y726
The Old Spot on Bath Avenue in Dublin 4, Brian O'Malley and Stephen Cooney's Loyola Group gastropub serving the southside the city's most consistent Sunday.
Tip: Sunday lunch books two weeks ahead; the bar runs walk-ins on the lighter menu Monday to Saturday from 17:00.
Ard Bia at Nimmos ★ 4.4 · Galway
spanish-arch · Spanish Arch, Long Walk, Galway, H91 X3CP
Ard Bia at Nimmos in Galway keeps its 18th-century Custom House stone building at the Spanish Arch as the city's most evocative casual dining room.
Tip: The organic and natural wine list is shorter than the Westend wine bars but all are well-chosen.
The Dough Bros ★ 4.4 · Galway
latin-quarter · 1 Middle Street, Galway, H91 K4P2
The Dough Bros on Middle Street is one of Galway's most celebrated restaurants; the Neapolitan pizzas use Toonsbridge mozzarella and San Marzano tomato.
Tip: The Lil' Bros slice shop on Eyre Square offers New York-style slices for a quick bite on the go.
Kombu Ramen and Bao Bar ★ 4.4 · Galway
latin-quarter · Druid Lane, Galway, H91 WD26
Kombu on Druid Lane is JP McMahon's Japanese ramen and bao bar; opened July 2025 next to the Druid Theatre, the city's first dedicated ramen kitchen.
Tip: Closed Monday; Friday and Saturday open from 15:00 for the early ramen run before the theatre crowd arrives.
Low Lane ★ 4.4 · Kilkenny
st-kierans-street · 45 Saint Kieran's Street, Kilkenny
Low Lane on St Kieran's Street opened in 2022, Robyn and Mark Butler bringing 3fe-trained coffee skills home in a walk-in-only specialty cafe.
Tip: Walk-in only. Opens around 08:30. Arrives fast to a queue on weekend mornings so plan accordingly.
Cakeface Patisserie ★ 4.4 · Kilkenny
irishtown · 16 Irishtown, Kilkenny, R95 W634
Cakeface on Irishtown is Kilkenny's premier French-trained patisserie, run by Laura and Rory Gannon and housing the city's only dedicated coffee roastery.
Tip: Monday through Saturday 09:00-17:00, Sunday 10:00-16:00. The roastery produces beans for the cafes and for retail.
Cask ★ 4.3 · Cork
MacCurtain Street (Victorian Quarter) · 48 MacCurtain Street, Cork
MacCurtain Street's foremost cocktail and small plates bar, where a changing menu of local-forage cocktails sits alongside Irish seasonal plates.
Tip: The cocktail list changes quarterly; the Friday early-evening period before 19:00 is the quietest.
Greenes Restaurant ★ 4.3 · Cork
MacCurtain Street (Victorian Quarter) · 48 MacCurtain Street, Cork, T23 AE52
A converted waterfall-backed Cork warehouse on MacCurtain Street with menus built on English Market sourcing, local beef and seasonal Irish produce.
Tip: Waterfall tables on the ground floor are the most moody; request when booking.
Tang ★ 4.3 · Dublin
south-city-centre · 32 Dawson Street, Dublin 2, D02 X663
Tang on Dawson Street in Dublin, an all-day Middle Eastern counter, the city's most reliable lunch-grab and weekend brunch in one room. Priced at €.
Tip: Two-floor venue; the basement is the table service room. Walk-in only at lunch; book the basement for weekend brunch.
Sano Pizza ★ 4.3 · Dublin
the-liberties · 1-2 Exchange Street Upper, Dublin 8, D08 XW7D
Sano Pizza on Exchange Street Upper in Dublin 8, the wood-fired Neapolitan pizzeria with a Caputo flour spec, the city's most credible margherita pizza.
Tip: No bookings; arrive at 17:30 to walk into a table. Counter and tables sit twenty inside.
Musashi Noodles and Sushi Bar ★ 4.3 · Dublin
north-inner-city · 15 Capel Street, Dublin 1, D01 E1C0
Musashi on Capel Street in Dublin 1, Northside's regular Japanese noodle and sushi counter, the city's most reliable sub-€15 ramen and tuna nigiri lunch.
Tip: Three Capel Street locations within a block. The original 15 Capel sits busiest at lunch; the IFSC branch is quieter for dinner.
Soup Dragon ★ 4.3 · Dublin
north-inner-city · 168 Capel Street, Dublin 1, D01 V972
Soup Dragon on Capel Street in Dublin 1, a fifteen-seat Northside cafe running ten daily soups, the city's most balanced sub-€10 lunch you can find.
Tip: Walk-in only and counter seating only; arrive before 12:30 or after 14:00 to find a stool. Takeaway runs all day.
Umi Falafel Georges Street Arcade ★ 4.3 · Dublin
south-city-centre · South Great George's Street Arcade, Dublin 2
Umi Falafel inside George's Street Arcade in Dublin 2, the vegetarian Lebanese counter doing the city's most credible falafel on freshly fried chickpeas.
Tip: Counter and a handful of tables inside the Arcade; takeaway runs fastest at lunch. Other Umi branches sit on Mary Street and Rathmines.
Il Vicolo ★ 4.3 · Galway
spanish arch · The Bridge Mills, O'Brien's Bridge, Galway, H91 R1WF
Il Vicolo in Galway's Bridge Mills has the only riverside terrace in the city, with a nightly-changing Italian menu and an all-Italian wine list.
Tip: Request a riverside terrace table when booking; the interior is fine but the terrace is the reason to come.
Dela ★ 4.3 · Galway
westend · 51 Lower Dominick Street, Galway, H91 E3F1
Dela on Lower Dominick Street Galway runs seven-day brunch from a Moycullen-farm kitchen, blending Modern Irish produce with Nordic restraint and Asian notes.
Tip: The natural wine and craft beer list is carefully considered; worth exploring beyond the house.
McDonagh's Seafood House ★ 4.3 · Galway
latin quarter · 22 Quay Street, Galway, H91 N902
McDonagh's has served Atlantic fish from Quay Street Galway since 1902; the fourth-generation family run the restaurant and chip counter side by side.
Tip: The restaurant and chip bar share a building but operate as separate queues; both are excellent.
Blackrock Cottage ★ 4.3 · Galway
salthill · Salthill Promenade, Galway, H91 KV9D
Blackrock Cottage beside Salthill's diving tower has Galway Bay views and locally sourced Atlantic seafood plates in a relaxed cafe-restaurant.
Tip: Arrive early at weekends; the combination of sea views and quality food means it fills within an hour of opening.
Aroi Asian Fusion ★ 4.3 · Kilkenny
medieval-mile · Friary Street, Kilkenny
Aroi on Friary Street has been Kilkenny's Asian restaurant of choice since 2015, chef Fadilah named Best Asian Fusion Chef in Ireland in 2019.
Tip: Open Monday through Sunday noon to 22:00-22:30. TripAdvisor Travellers Choice for four consecutive years.
Ristorante Rinuccini ★ 4.3 · Kilkenny
medieval-mile · 1 The Parade, Kilkenny, R95 XKR7
The Cavaliere family has run Rinuccini opposite Kilkenny Castle since 1989, importing Italian produce and building a cellar of over 12,000 bottles.
Tip: Sunday lunch runs to 17:00 and is the best-value sitting of the week. Book for dinner Friday and Saturday.
Market Lane ★ 4.2 · Cork
City Centre · 5-6 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork, T12 T959
Two-floor Cork institution on Oliver Plunkett Street seven days a week, with English Market menus and a house coffee blend made exclusively for the bar.
Tip: The lunch blackboard is shorter and better value than the dinner menu; arrive before 13:00 to get the fish.
Greenwich ★ 4.2 · Cork
City Centre · 19 Caroline Street, Cork, T12 Y208
A daytime room behind Brown Thomas on Caroline Street, winner of Best Brunch Destination at the Georgina Campbell Irish Food and Hospitality Awards 2025.
Tip: Book a table for weekend brunch; walk-in seats are rare from 10:30 on Saturdays.